Also planning to do the 105km. This will be my first Fitz's so I'm not sure what to expect.

I did my longest ride to date on the weekend in preparation - 95km ride via Gunderoo (only had a road bike for 8 months). Pulled up ok but it only had about half the elevation of the Fitz 105 so I'm expecting my average speed to be a fair bit below the 30.5 km/h I managed on my Gunderoo ride (which included a 1 hour coffee stop).

Having ridden the Uriarra/Cotter loop a few times, I'm thinking it's probably a good idea to keep a few matches in store for those climbs at the end. I've bonked once before on the Uriarra Road return (newbie mistake) so I'll not want to repeat that.

You'll find you actually save a fair bit of energy once you settle into a group. If you get caught in-between bunches my advice is to sit up and save energy until the next group arrives then get on the back of them. Def save some energy for the 3 sisters climb and make sure you have a bite to eat at each of the feed stations along the way.

The 105 is deceptively hard. There is a lot of climbing and a lot of exposed plains where the wind can hit you. It is rarely calm on Fitz rides, so take it easy to Tharwa and leave some in the bank for the last half of the return. I did the 105 recovering from a flu a couple of years back at near my race pace and the last 40kms were tough.

I am a bit more concerned about the 255. I havent ridden over 80kms in a day in months, and have done very little climbing. Looks like I will be relying on being fully recovered from the chest thing and hoping my legs hold up. Eep!!!

Thanks HAKS and mrgolf for your advice. The 105km does have a fair amount of climbing involved - I will definitely be pacing myself - that last slog along Uriarra Rd back to Stromlo will be a little gruelling. As for the 255, I can't even begin to imagine tackling that one...

Also, does anyone know what sort of "snacks" are usually available at the feed stations?

Only 9 days to go and I'm getting excited and nervous. Signed up for the 255km. Haven't done nearly enough km's or climbing. I did manage a 193km ride a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately with only 1000m of climbing. I hope I can hold it together to finish in time.

Stuff that you can peel off and store easily such as arm/leg warmers and gillets. It will be cold descending into the Cotter but once you start climbing Pierces Creek you won't notice the cold, though you will still be cool on the rolling hills beyond Pierces. Probably once you get to around Tidbinbilla you will be warmed up enough I expect to just have short sleeves and no leg warmers, though depending on which ride you are doing you may want to layer back up for the descents of Fitz's, Honeysuckle and Corin. By the time you get back to Pierces Creek again it will be mid day/mid afternoon so you shouldn't need to dress up for that descent, but watch for potholes. The rest of the ride (Mt McDonald and 3 Sisters) is mostly climbing (except for false flat from Uriarra Homestead to Uriarra Crossing), so you won't need much clothing there.

Edit: I should mention a couple of Magpies that are enroute - one just south of Tharwa, another further south after Fitz's hill, after the cattle grid in Namadgi NP, another at KOM point of Mt McDonald, another on Uriarra Rd false flat near the Homstead and another on the 1st Sister. If you are riding in a group you are probably going to be ok, if solo then they may have a swoop. My advice is to be alert, not alarmed and avoid waving your arms or other weapons at them and after a couple of swoops they will get bored and look for someone else to annoy.

A mate and I are entered in the 205km Epic...biggest ride so far is a 200km stint on the M7, but been doing Razorback down south and 3/4 Gorges north of Sydney for the last 5 weekends...hopefully a 39/27T granny gear will be sufficient!!

Were planning to do a recon drive on Saturday afternoon to check out what were in for given we have never been near the ride area before.

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